That sucks. I'm a fan of big romping cars. I was waiting for the SC 4.6 to make the car worth buying.

Oh well. Guess the E55's got the market to itself.

 

I came across this doing some research on my Florida Highway Patrol car...
Thought it would make for interesting conversation...

LINKY

Imagine... a Mercury Marauder pulling you over!

PS - notice... they are STILL using Mustangs too... there's a red unmarked unit behind and left of the Merc!

 

Geez, they'll pull you over for weaving in and out of traffic??? I wouldn't keep my license long in Florida...

 

I liked the merc, it was slow yes, but it was your only alternative if you wanted a full bodied rwd v8 car that had some spunk to it other then a crown vic. I would have bought one as a daily if they kept makein it. Lots of room for friends and a big back seat

 

Both Marauder and Towncar NEED a 5.4 DOHC...Or the 5.4 SOHC Supercharged motor. The 4.6, even in DOHC form isnt sufficient to move that car. Thats always been my opinion of them.

 

I agree 100%

239hp is very lame for the town car. They should have at least had the DOHC 4.6L six years ago.

 

Most 60 y/o retired couples don't need 300hp to cruise to the local cafeteria for dinner at 4pm...:blah:
And frankly, I don't WANT them gunning 300+hp down on me with cateracts and coke-bottles on their noses either.

Cabbies don't WANT 300 hp to go stop light to stop light, it makes their meter run less.

Look at the market guys...
Now the Marauder, I agree - it DOES need more HP because it is marketed towards the "sinister" crowd, with a muscular appearance. In fact, the name hearkens to a muscle car of yesteryear.

But the average Panther car - no more is req'd.
The 4.6 in my folk's Towncar will MORE than get you busted on an open highway!

 

I remember riding around in my friend's dad's Lincoln with a 460. Dang that car could cruise at 110 mph and it felt like you were going 55 mph while sitting on a waterbed.

 

It will be interesting to see how the Full size Zeta cars compare....they should be leaps and bounds above the Panther in terms of design.

 

While true, I think they would sell more if you could get a 300+hp 5.4 SOHC motor in those things. I mean Chrysler is making a 345hp sedan that almost runs 13s stock for 35k, and they are giving them to the cops! I know I might consider a Vic if it had a 300hp 5.4 in it.

 

If you look closely it looks more like a new Rouch Mustang that they are using for this special enforcement team. There hasn't been an offical Police Pkg. Mustang since '93. I doubt that they still have any of those in use, but you never know there could be a few around. Last year when I was down there I still saw a few '96 Caprice 9C1 LT1s running around on the interstate still in service. FHP bought 70 some '02 Camaro B4C too, they will be around for quite some time doing pursuit duties.

 

The '04 Crown Vic PI now has 250hp out of the 4.6 SOHC engine, I've driven one and it didn't seem any faster than last years 239hp Crown Vic PI. They are still way slower than a Caprice LT1.
Everything is about to change though when the Hemi starts hitting the police market next year.

I wonder if Chysler is planning on being competive with the prices for the police market, if not I believe Ford will retain most of the police market.

All of this is very bad news for the Impala 9C1, unless it gets the 5.3 V8 in '05?

 

I don't see anything in those pics that looks like a Roush exclusive part. What is tipping you that way? Looks like a 2000 or so GT to me, with standard 5 spoke alloys.

As for the SSP package - you are exactly right about 1993. I was just making the comment that LEA's are still using the Mustang - even today's models. Everybody thinks that because the SSP was eliminated in 1994, that there are no more Mustang's used in policing the roads - and it's not true. We have a Black 2001 Mustang GT in Forsyth County, NC (Winston-Salem area) that has full dress, light bar, and strobes - and it's a Sherriff's car no less. Car looks awesome IMO - black with gold and tan stripes, tan interior.

I recall much hullabaloo was made when the SSP was dropped in 1993 due to the new bodystyle (the SN95) that offered no notchback, storage space, and seating posture. Looking at the Camaro's they ordered since then, and the current Mustangs in use, it didn't seem like the big deal it was in 1993, eh?

 

It's too big. It won't fit in my garage or a lot of local parking lots. I like the looks of the car, but I wouldn't buy one because of its size.

If they could lop 20" off, I'd consider it along with the Chrysler 300. They'd probably have to do something about the big price, too, though.

 

Is there any difference in acceleration test results?